Jack Clark | |
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Jack Clark on The Cross-Wits.
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Born |
Jack Leslie Clark November 25, 1925 St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S. |
Died | July 21, 1988 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
(aged 62)
Cause of death | Bone cancer |
Occupation | Game show host Announcer |
Years active | 1951–1988 |
Notable credit(s) |
The Cross-Wits Wheel of Fortune (1980-1988) |
Spouse(s) | Barbara (?-1988); 4 children |
Jack Leslie Clark (November 25, 1925 – July 21, 1988) was an American television game show host and announcer. He is best known for hosting The Cross-Wits, and as an offstage announcer for Wheel of Fortune. On the latter, he succeeded original announcer Charlie O'Donnell and held the role from 1980 until his death in 1988.
When Clark was a student at University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), he began his career as a substitute radio announcer for radio station KROW in Oakland, California. After graduating from UC Berkeley, he moved to New York City, and first worked as a game show announcer for Password (where, when the word was flashed on the screen, he would whisper from offstage, "the password is..."; he also occasionally substituted for host Allen Ludden). From there, he went on to host 100 Grand (1963) and Dealer's Choice from 1974 to 1975 (replacing Bob Hastings). Later, Clark hosted The Cross-Wits from 1975 until 1980, where he was noted for his rapport with the celebrities and contestants. Clark later went on to announce for several other game shows, including Split Second (1972–1975), Tattletales (1974), Three for the Money (1975), Second Chance (1977), and some Hollywood-originated episodes of The $10,000 Pyramid. Earlier in 1967, Clark also did some commercials for Winston cigarettes in Super King (100 MM) size.